Update:Demopolis Hospital Set to Close Labor and Delivery Unit

Tools

By
George McDonald

Story Created:
Feb 18, 2014 at 9:51 PM CST

From the West Alabama Newsroom-- The labor and delivery department at Bryan Whitfield Hospital in Demopolis is set to close at the end of the month.

The fate of the department was the main topic of discussion at a town hall meeting Tuesday night. Hospital officials say the department is losing money -- and a task force had been put in place to find a solution -- but the uncertainty surrounding the future of the department may have sealed its fate.

Mike Marshall is the hospital's Chief Executive Officer.

"unfortunately three of our five staff members have resigned, so we can no longer effectively staff the unit after the 28th of this month," he said.

Dr. Ronnie Chu is a local physician.

"I'm concerned about the abrupt closing down of labor and delivery," said Chu. "By closing it down, a lot of O-B patients are pregnant ladies that can't get a doctor at this late a pregnancy. They got to give everybody ample time."

Whitfield Memorial is the only hospital in a five-county area that delivers babies.